Estimation of surface free energy at microstructured surface to investigate intermediate wetting state for partial wetting model.

While partial wetting at nano-/microstructured surfaces can be described using the intermediate wetting state between the Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel states, the limitations of the partial wetting model remain unclear. In this study, we performed surface free energy analysis at a microstructured Si-water interface from both theoretical and experimental viewpoints. We experimentally measured the water contact angle on microstructured Si surfaces with square holes and compared the measured values with theoretical predictions. Furthermore, the surface free energy was analyzed using the effective wetting area estimated from the measured contact angle and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results. We verified the validity of the partial wetting model for fabricated Si surfaces with a hole aperture a less than 230 µm and a hole height h of 12 µm, and for a < 400 µm, h = 40 µm. The model was found to be applicable to microstructured Si surfaces with a/h < 10.

Large-scale and stacked transfer of bilayers MoS2devices on a flexible polyimide substrate.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), as flexible and stretchable materials, have attracted considerable attention in the field of novel flexible electronics due to their excellent mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. Among the various TMD materials, atomically thin MoS2has become the most widely used material due to its advantageous properties, such as its adjustable bandgap, excellent performance, and ease of preparation. In this work, we demonstrated the practicality of a stacked wafer-scale two-layer MoS2film obtained by transferring multiple single-layer films grown using chemical vapor deposition. The MoS2field-effect transistor cell had a top-gated device structure with a (PI) film as the substrate, which exhibited a high on/off ratio (108), large average mobility (∼8.56 cm2V-1s-1), and exceptional uniformity. Furthermore, a range of flexible integrated logic devices, including inverters, NOR gates, and NAND gates, were successfully implemented via traditional lithography. These results highlight the immense potential of TMD materials, particularly MoS2, in enabling advanced flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices, which pave the way for transformative applications in future-generation electronics.

Denoising in SVD-based ghost imaging.

By the method of singular-valued decomposition (SVD), ghost imaging (GI) reconstructs the images with high efficiency. However, a small amount of noise can greatly degrade or even destroy the object information. In this paper, we experimentally investigate the method of truncated SVD (TSVD) by selecting the first few largest singular values to enhance the image quality. The contrast-to-noise ratio and structural similarity of the images are improved with appropriate truncation ratios. To further improve the image quality, we analyze the noise effects on TSVD-based GI and introduce additional filters. TSVD-based GI may find its applications in rapid imaging under complicated environment conditions.

Enhancement of lateral Casimir force on a rotating particle near hyperbolic metamaterial.

Enhancement of weak Casimir forces is extremely important for their practical detection and subsequent applications in variety of scientific and technological fields. We study the lateral Casimir forces acting on the rotating particles with small radius of 50 nm as well as that with large radius of 500 nm near the hyperbolic metamaterial made of silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires. It is found that the lateral Casimir force acting on the small particle of 50 nm near hyperbolic metamaterial with appropriate filling fraction can be enhanced nearly four times comparing with that acting on the same particle near SiC bulk in the previous study. Such enhancement is caused by the coupling between the resonance mode excited by nanoparticle and the hyperbolic mode supported by hyperbolic metamaterial. The results obtained in this study provide an efficient method to enhance the interaction of nanoscale objects.

Administration of olaquindox impairs spermatogenesis and sperm quality by increasing oxidative stress and early apoptosis in mice.

Olaquindox (OLA), a potent antibacterial agent, has been widely used as a feed additive and growth promoter in animal husbandry. Our previous study has shown that OLA administration in female mice could markedly cause sub-fertility. Here we established the model in male mice to investigate the toxic effects of OLA on mammalian spermatozoa quality and fetal development. After continuous 45 days of OLA gavage, the dosage of 60 mg/kg/day (high dose) significantly affected body weight, organ weights and coefficients, and the morphology of the testis seminiferous tubule in male mice. Dosage of 60 mg/kg/day also reduced sperm count, motility, and viability. OLA at both low-dose (5 mg/kg/day) and high-dose induced peroxidation, early apoptosis, and abnormal mitochondrial membrane potential in sperm. Significantly, high-dose OLA impaired in vitro fertilized embryo development, indicated by the decreased percentages of 2-cell and blastocyst formation. Surprisingly, the natural fertility of males was unaffected after OLA gavage, which was indicated by the comparable litter size after mating. However, paternal gavage of OLA significantly decreased the survival rate of the offspring from the age of 4 weeks. In sum, our study showed that OLA gavage in male mice damages sperm quality and offspring survival, illustrating the use of OLA as a feed additive should be strictly restricted.

Chemical Constituents of Cyperus esculentus Leaves and the Protective Effect against Agricultural Fungicide-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

Cyperus esculentus is cultivated as a crop plant due to its edible and oily tubers (tiger nut). However, little is known about the phytochemicals and bioeffects of the leaves. This study was conducted to identify and quantify the chemical constituents of C. esculentus leaves and evaluate their bioactivities. By liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, 30 compounds including flavan-3-ols, caffeic acid derivatives, and flavones, were identified from the leaves. The quantitative analysis revealed that gallocatechin (8), procyanidin B1 (15), catechin (16), chlorogenic acid (19), orientin (30), and luteolin 7-O-glucuronide (31) are the major chemical constituents of C. esculentus leaves. The contents of these six chemical constituents in the leaves collected in September in Hohhot, China, reached to 1460.85±7.66, 10178.77±302.65, 1048.35±17.37, 1722.15±26.13, 5318.62±277.16, and 1526.54±11.95 µg, respectively, in one gram of the dried leaves. The leaf extract (CELE) showed strong antioxidant activity in vitro, with compounds 8, 15, and 19 contributing the most. CELE showed significant protection against the agricultural fungicide tebuconazole-induced developmental toxicity and hepatotoxicity in zebrafish.

Mechanical modulation of spontaneous emission of nearby nanostructured black phosphorus.

In this study, we investigate the spontaneous emission of a quantum emitter nearby black phosphorus (BP) sheet. The spontaneous emission can be modulated mechanically by rotating the BP sheet when the quantum emitter is placed parallel to the sheet. The spontaneous emission is dependent on the electron doping and rotation angle of BP with respect to the x-axis. The Purcell factor decreases with the increase in rotation angle under smaller electron doping. The Purcell factor increases with the increase in rotation angle under larger electron doping. The spontaneous emission of quantum emitter nearby two types of BP ribbon arrays tailored along armchair (type I) and zigzag (type II) directions is studied in detail. The spontaneous emission of quantum emitter parallel to type I is enhanced compared with that parallel to BP sheet. The spontaneous emission decreases remarkably for the quantum emitter parallel to type II compared with that parallel to BP sheet. The spontaneous emission can be flexibly modulated by rotating BP ribbon arrays mechanically in two types. The results obtained in this study provide a new method to actively modulate the spontaneous emission.

Intermediate wetting state at nano/microstructured surfaces.

A general partial wetting model to describe an intermediate wetting state is proposed in this study to explain the deviations between the experimental results and classical theoretical wetting models for hydrophobic surfaces. We derived a theoretical partial wetting model for the static intermediate wetting state based on the thermodynamic energy minimization method. The contact angle based on the partial wetting model is a function of structural parameters and effective wetting ratio f, which agrees with the classical Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models at f = 1 and 0, respectively. Si samples including porous surfaces, patterned surfaces and hierarchical nano/microstructured surfaces were prepared experimentally, having the same chemical composition but different physical morphology. We found that the experimental water contact angles deviate significantly from the classical Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models but show good agreement with the proposed partial wetting model.

Oral administration of olaquindox negatively affects oocytes quality and reproductive ability in female mice.

As an effective feed additive in the livestock industry, olaquindox (OLA) has been widely used in domestic animal production. However, it is unclear whether OLA has negative effects on mammalian oocyte quality and fetal development. In this study, toxic effects of OLA were tested by intragastric gavage ICR mice with water, low-dose OLA (5 mg/kg/day), or high-dose OLA (60 mg/kg/day) for continuous 45 days. Results showed that high-dose OLA gavage severely affected the offspring birth and growth. Significantly, high-dose OLA impaired oocyte maturation and early embryo development, indicated by the decreased percentage of germinal vesicle breakdown, first polar body extrusion and blastocyst formation. Meanwhile, oxidative stress levels were increased in oocytes or ovaries, indexed by the increased levels of ROS, MDA, H2O2, NO, and decreased levels of GSH, SOD, CAT, GSH-Px and GSH-Rd. Furthermore, aberrant mitochondria distribution, defective spindle assembly, abnormal H3K4me2/H3K9me3 levels, increased DNA double-strand breaks and early apoptosis rate, were observed after high-dose OLA gavage. Taken together, our results for the first time illustrated that high-dose OLA gavage led to sub-fertility of females, which means that restricted utilization of OLA as feed additive should be considered.

Effective Wetting Area Based on Electrochemical Impedance Analysis: Hydrophilic Structured Surface.

Wettability on nano/microstructured surfaces is gaining remarkable interest for a wide range of applications; however, little is known about the effective wetting area of the solid-liquid interface. In this study, the effect of wettability on electrochemical impedance was experimentally investigated to obtain a better understanding of the effective wetting area. We demonstrate that the water contact angle decreases significantly at hydrophilic surfaces with denser nano/microstructures. Based on the analysis of equivalent electrical circuits, we found that the electrochemical impedance decreases with reducing the water contact angle, showing a dependence on the effective wetting area, i.e., the real solid-liquid contact area. Also, the charge transfer resistance at low frequency was found to be the dominant parameter to estimate the effective wetting area at the solid-liquid interface.

Mycorrhiza alters the profile of root hairs in trifoliate orange.

Root hairs and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) coexist in root systems for nutrient and water absorption, but the relation between AM and root hairs is poorly known. A pot study was performed to evaluate the effects of four different AM fungi (AMF), namely, Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Diversispora versiformis, Funneliformis mosseae, and Rhizophagus intraradices on root hair development in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) seedlings grown in sand. Mycorrhizal seedlings showed significantly higher root hair density than non-mycorrhizal seedlings, irrespective of AMF species. AMF inoculation generally significantly decreased root hair length in the first- and second-order lateral roots but increased it in the third- and fourth-order lateral roots. AMF colonization induced diverse responses in root hair diameter of different order lateral roots. Considerably greater concentrations of phosphorus (P), nitric oxide (NO), glucose, sucrose, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) were found in roots of AM seedlings than in non-AM seedlings. Levels of P, NO, carbohydrates, IAA, and MeJA in roots were correlated with AM formation and root hair development. These results suggest that AMF could alter the profile of root hairs in trifoliate orange through modulation of physiological activities. F. mosseae, which had the greatest positive effects, could represent an efficient AM fungus for increasing fruit yields or decreasing fertilizer inputs in citrus production.

Low-dose whole organ CT perfusion of the pancreas: preliminary study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of low-dose whole pancreas CT perfusion in the clinical practice. METHODS: Sixty-one patients suspected pancreatic disease underwent low-dose whole pancreas CT perfusion scan (by body weight, group A: 70 kV, 120 mAs; group B: 80 kV, 100 mAs) and the individualized pancreas scan. Forty-six patients were enrolled. Perfusion characteristics, such as, blood flow, blood volume and permeability, were analyzed. The effective radiation dose of the whole pancreas CT perfusion and the total CT scan protocol were recorded. CT findings were histologically confirmed by surgical intervention or diagnostic puncture. RESULTS: Of the 46 cases, 33 were pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 5 were solid-pseudo-papillary tumors of pancreas, 8 cases of pancreatic endocrine tumors on the perfusion study. There was significant interobserver agreement on the measurement of normal pancreatic CT perfusion parameters of group A (n = 28)and group B (n = 18), respectively (p > 0.05). For the normal pancreas, there was no significant difference on CT perfusion parameters between group A and group B (p > 0.05). There were significant differences on blood flow as well as blood volume between the pancreatic adenocarcinomas and the normal pancreas (p < 0.001), whereas no difference on the permeability (p > 0.05). The time to peak of the normal pancreas is 28.94 ± 4.37 s (range from 24 to 38 s). Different pancreatic tumors had different types of time attenuation curve (TAC). TACs were different between pancreatic adenocarcinomas and normal pancreas. The effective radiation dose of the whole pancreas CT perfusion of Group A and Group B were 3.60 and 4.88 mSv (DLP 246 and 325 mGy cm), respectively, and the total radiation dose was around 8.01-16.22 mSv. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose whole pancreatic CT perfusion can effectively reduce radiation dose, and provide the best phase for the individualized pancreas scan, which has great value in the clinical practice.

Mycorrhizas Affect Physiological Performance, Antioxidant System, Photosynthesis, Endogenous Hormones, and Water Content in Cotton under Salt Stress.

Saline-alkali stress seriously endangers the normal growth of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could enhance salt tolerance by establishing symbiotic relationships with plants. Based on it, a pot experiment was conducted to simulate a salt environment in which cotton was inoculated with Paraglomus occultum to explore its effects on the saline-alkali tolerance of cotton. Our results showed that salt stress noticeably decreased cotton seedling growth parameters (such as plant height, number of leaves, dry weight, root system architecture, etc.), while AMF exhibited a remarkable effect on promoting growth. It was noteworthy that AMF significantly mitigated the inhibitory effect of salt on cotton seedlings. However, AMF colonization in root and soil hyphal length were collectively descended via salt stress. With regard to osmotic regulating substances, Pro and MDA values in roots were significantly increased when seedlings were exposed to salt stress, while AMF only partially mitigated these reactions. Salt stress increased ROS levels in the roots of cotton seedlings and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, and CAT), while AMF mitigated the increases in ROS levels but further strengthened antioxidant enzyme activity. AMF inoculation increased the photosynthesis parameters of cotton seedling leaves to varying degrees, while salt stress decreased them dramatically. When inoculated with AMF under a salt stress environment, only partial mitigation of these photosynthesis values was observed. Under saline-alkali stress, AMF improved the leaf fluorescence parameters (φPSII, Fv'/Fm', and qP) of cotton seedlings, leaf chlorophyll levels, and root endogenous hormones (IAA and BR); promoted the absorption of water; and maintained nitrogen balance, thus alleviating the damage from salt stress on the growth of cotton plants to some extent. In summary, mycorrhizal cotton seedlings may exhibit mechanisms involving root system architecture, the antioxidant system, photosynthesis, leaf fluorescence, endogenous hormones, water content, and nitrogen balance that increase their resistance to saline-alkali environments. This study provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the application of AMF to enhance the salt tolerance of cotton.

Effect of solvent acids on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of chitosan films on MAO-treated AZ31B magnesium alloy.

This study evaluated the effect of solvent acids on the structure and corrosion resistance performance of chitosan (CS) film on MAO-treated AZ31B magnesium (Mg) alloy. Initially, CS solutions were prepared in four solvent acids: acetic acid (HAc), lactic acid (LA), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and citric acid (CA). The CS films were subsequently deposited on MAO-treated AZ31B Mg alloy via a dip-coating technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), contact angle measurement, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to characterize the surface and cross-sectional morphology as well as chemical composition. Furthermore, the samples were subjected to potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests to assess their resistance against corrosion in simulated body fluid (SBF). These results indicated that the CS film prepared with LA exhibited the lowest surface roughness (Ra = 31.2 nm), the largest contact angle (CA = 98.50°), and the thickest coating (36 µm). Additionally, it demonstrated superior corrosion protection performance, with the lowest corrosion current density (Icorr = 3.343 × 10-7 A/cm2), highest corrosion potential (Ecorr = -1.49 V), and highest polarization resistance (Rp = 5.914 × 104 Ω·cm2) in SBF. These results indicated that solvent acid types significantly influenced their interactions with CS. Thus, the structure and corrosion protection performance of CS films can be optimized by selecting an appropriate solvent acid.

Safety Study of Percutaneous Gastroscopic Gastrostomy in Patients After Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety study of percutaneous gastroscopic gastrostomy in patients after ventriculoperitoneal shunt. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of neurosurgical patients who underwent VPS and PEG at our hospital between January 2012 and November 2023. Patients were divided into 2 groups: VPS group and VPS followed by PEG gruop. Patients received routine antibiotic prophylaxis before the procedure, continued for 48 hours. Follow-up included monitoring immediate complications, particularly wound infection, intracranial infection, neurologic status deterioration, and shunt dysfunction. Routine follow-up visits were conducted post-discharge. RESULTS: In the VPS group (n = 778), the incidence of intracranial infection was 3.08%. Among patients with PEG after VPS, the time interval between procedures ranged from 13 to 685 days. The mean follow-up period was 22 (1-77) months, with no deaths or further complications. CONCLUSION: Performing PEG more than 13 days after VPS does not significantly increase the risk of intracranial infections or PEG-associated infections, making it a relatively safe procedure.

Changes in the Microbial Community in Maize (Zea mays L.) Root Spatial Structure Following Short-Term Nitrogen Application.

The beneficial interactions between crop roots and microbiomes play a key role in crop nutrient availability, growth promotion, and disease suppression. Recent research, however, rarely reported the effects of nitrogen (N) application rate on microbial community composition at different spatial structures in the maize root zone. Therefore, one experiment was conducted to examine the influence of three N-application levels (0, 180, and 360 kg N ha-1) on microbial community composition in three root-associated compartments of maize (bulk soil, rhizoplane, and endosphere). The microbial diversity and community composition differed significantly among the various compartments. The effects of N application on fungal composition decreased in the order bulk soil > rhizosphere > endosphere at different sampling positions. Also, the fungal composition was more sensitive to the N-fertilizer rate in the bulk soil and the rhizosphere than the bacterial community. A total of 14.42, 9.46, and 3.55% of all taxonomic groups were sensitive to N fertilizer, respectively. The keystone species fungal groups were Humicola (bulk soil), Gibberella (rhizosphere soil), and Humicola (endosphere). Together, our results demonstrate that compared with that of the bacterial community, the fungal community composition was more susceptible to different N-application rates. N fertilization affected the distribution of microflora by changing soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities. There were strong correlations between microbial communities in maize under the N180 treatment. Moreover, the N180 treatment had the maximum fresh yield and biomass at 64.5 and 24.3 kg·ha-1, respectively.

High-Quality Genome Assembly and Genome-Wide Association Study of Male Sterility Provide Resources for Flax Improvement.

Flax is an economic crop with a long history. It is grown worldwide and is mainly used for edible oil, industry, and textiles. Here, we reported a high-quality genome assembly for "Neiya No. 9", a popular variety widely grown in China. Combining PacBio long reads, Hi-C sequencing, and a genetic map reported previously, a genome assembly of 473.55 Mb was constructed, which covers ~94.7% of the flax genome. These sequences were anchored onto 15 chromosomes. The N50 lengths of the contig and scaffold were 0.91 Mb and 31.72 Mb, respectively. A total of 32,786 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 95.9% of complete BUSCOs were found. Through morphological and cytological observation, the male sterility of flax was considered dominant nuclear sterility. Through GWAS analysis, the gene LUSG00017705 (cysteine synthase gene) was found to be closest to the most significant SNP, and the expression level of this gene was significantly lower in male sterile plants than in fertile plants. Among the significant SNPs identified in the GWAS analysis, only two were located in the coding region, and these two SNPs caused changes in the protein encoded by LUSG00017565 (cysteine protease gene). It was speculated that these two genes may be related to male sterility in flax. This is the first time the molecular mechanism of male sterility in flax has been reported. The high-quality genome assembly and the male sterility genes revealed, provided a solid foundation for flax breeding.

Effects of Enzymatic Modification and Cross-Linking with Sodium Phytate on the Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Cyperus esculentus Starch.

In this study, C. esculentus porous starch (PS) and C. esculentus cross-linked porous starch (CPS) were prepared by enzymatic modification and sodium phytate cross-linking, and their physicochemical and structural properties were determined. The results showed that the adsorption and emulsification capacities of PS were 1.3606 g/g and 22.6 mL/g, respectively, which were significantly higher than 0.5419 g/g and 4.2 mL/g of C. esculentus starch (NS). The retrogradation curves of starch paste showed that the stability of PS was inferior to that of NS. In addition, the results of texture analysis showed that the gel strength of PS was also significantly reduced relative to NS. The PS exhibited a rough surface with pores and low molecular order and crystallinity according to scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X ray diffractometer (XRD) analyses. As compared to PS, CPS still presented a high adsorption capacity of 1.2744 g/g and the steadiness of starch paste was significantly better. XPS demonstrated the occurrence of the cross-linking reaction. Our results show that enzyme modification and dual modification by combining enzymatic treatment with sodium phytate cross-linking can impart different structures and functions to starch, creating reference material for the application of modified starch from C. esculentus.

Enhancement of Casimir Friction between Graphene-Covered Topological Insulator.

Casimir friction is theoretically studied between graphene-covered undoped bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) in detail. In the graphene/Bi2Se3 composite structure, the coupling of the hyperbolic phonon polaritons supported by Bi2Se3 with the surface plasmons supported by graphene can lead to the hybrid surface plasmon-phonon polaritons (SPPPs). Compared with that between undoped Bi2Se3, Casimir friction can be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude due to the contribution of SPPPs. It is found that the chemical potential that can be used to modulate the optical characteristic of SPPPs plays an important role in Casimir friction. In addition, the Casimir friction between doped Bi2Se3 is also studied. The friction coefficient between doped Bi2Se3 can even be larger than that between graphene-covered undoped Bi2Se3 for suitable chemical potential due to the contribution of unusual electron surface states. The results obtained in this work are not only beneficial to the study of Casimir frictions but also extend the research ranges of topological insulators.

Steam explosion pretreatment enhancing enzymatic digestibility of overground tubers of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.).

Introduction: Tiger nut (TN) is recognized as a high potential plant which can grow in well-drained sandy or loamy soils and provide food nutrients. However, the overground tubers of TN remain unutilized currently, which limits the value-added utilization and large-area cultivation of this plant. Methods: In the present study, the overground tubers of TN were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis to produce fermentable sugars for biofuels production. Steam explosion (SE) was applied to modify the physical-chemical properties of the overground tubers of TN for enhancing its saccharification. Results and discussion: Results showed that SE broke the linkages of hemicellulose and lignin in the TN substrates and increased cellulose content through removal of hemicellulose. Meanwhile, SE cleaved inner linkages within cellulose molecules, reducing the degree of polymerization by 32.13-77.84%. Cellulose accessibility was significantly improved after SE, which was revealed visibly by the confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging techniques. As a result, enzymatic digestibility of the overground tubers of TN was dramatically enhanced. The cellulose conversion of the SE treated TN substrates reached 38.18-63.97%, which was 2.5-4.2 times higher than that without a SE treatment. Conclusion: Therefore, SE pretreatment promoted saccharification of the overground tubers of TN, which paves the way for value-added valorization of the TN plants.